

Matt Severance
Severance Pays
Matt Severance is a well-connected writer and high-volume handicapper who has worked in the industry since 2005. After joining SportsLine, Matt quickly established himself as a top expert in multiple sports. Over the past five NBA seasons, Matt has returned $4,931 to $100 bettors. Over the past four MLB seasons, Matt is up $1,681. He also has returned $1,437 to $100 players over the past three NFL seasons. In the 2025 college football season, Matt finished 76-53 (plus $960). Matt believes in buying points in football to get off a push number like 3 or 7. He understands that oddsmakers don't do as much homework on lower-tier FBS games, creating betting opportunities. And he says homefield advantage is underrated in some markets and overrated in others. For Matt Severance media inquiries, contact SportsLine@CBSInteractive.com.
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Matt's Past Picks
OK I got the 4 I was waiting on (21-17, etc. at least push). The Ravens were cash cows under John Harbaugh in the preseason. Do they just turn that off under new coach Jesse Minter? I have no idea, hence the half-unit, which I'm spinning from the Bills cash earlier today.
This won't be a typical preseason game for the Bills because they will christen the new Highmark Stadium on Saturday against Carolina, and Josh Allen will play a couple of series apparently. The Panthers do have the edge of a game under their belts and beat Arizona last Thursday but otherwise had been a terrible preseason bet the past few years. It's the Buffalo head coaching debut of Joe Brady, and new HCs generally tend to try and instill a winning culture immediately even in a meaningless game.
The Titans will be playing Mitch Trubisky some tonight. Do I need any other reason to take the Niners? I'm not still bitter over Mitch's Bears tenure (thanks to Caleb and I mostly blame Nagy anyways), but at least nowadays I'm glad they didn't take Deshaun Watson instead. Fairly surprised the 49ers are getting nearly a TD at home -- I'm going to go ahead and add the half-point. Tennessee will play its starters a bit and the Niners won't but still. The Titans are traveling across country for a nothing game even if coach Robert Saleh is an ex-Niners defensive coordinator.
Last time I saw Carson Beck in action, I nearly broke my hand slamming a table when he threw the game-clinching pick in the national title game for the Canes against Indiana. The third-round Arizona rookie will start Thursday's Hall of Fame Game exhibition opener opposite Carolina's Kenny Pickett. But it should be mostly Haynes King for the Panthers. I'd prefer Beck and Kedon Slovis for Arizona. Plus, the Cards are trying to build a winning culture under new coach Mike LaFleur, while Carolina has gone 1-5 combined in the two previous preseasons under Dave Canales. He might be in the "don't care" category with Andy Reid, Sean McVay and some others.
Honestly may not even watch the Super Bowl as I just don't care about either of these teams and I surely don't care about Bad Bunny at halftime. I'm sure the Notebook or something Hugh Grant is on as oppo programing on Feb. 8. It is an outdoor game so maybe we get some elements in Santa Clara. But giving Mike Macdonald two weeks to prepare for sack- and fumble-prone Drake Maye makes me think Seattle will keep that New England offense in check. That offense did very little in the AFC title game. And I'm sure the Pats' defense will have some surprises for Sam Darnold, too. Last 46.5 on our board. Our model has 44 points. Sagarin has 45.2.
Zach Charbonnet was Seattle's goal-line back but he's out for the season after getting hurt last week, and Kenneth Walker blew up after he left with three TDs. This seems light as I'm pretty sure the Rams aren't going to keep Seattle out of the end zone. The former Sparty Walker should be extremely busy on Sunday.
Our first 24.5 on the board and will take it -- our model has the Pats with 21 points on Sunday in Denver. It will be cold but otherwise looks decent weather-wise. That league-leading Broncos pass-rush may cause Drake Maye some major problems as he has been sacked 10 times in these playoffs and fumbled six times. The Pats haven't played on the road in a month, so I could see a few pre-snap penalties due to noise. And clearly the Broncos will be playing a slow-it-down game, we'd think, with Jarrett Stidham under center.
Pretty darn good price on the Rams' Kyren Williams considering he had 13 total TDs during the regular season. Chicago isn't all that good against the run, and I tend to think the Rams run more than usual simply due to the bitterly cold conditions and possible snow on Sunday night. And if Williams doesn't find the end zone, pretty good chance my Bears win and that trade-off is just fine by me. Just have to hope Blake Corum doesn't vulture one at the goal line assuming L.A. gets there at least once. Williams had a TD catch last week at the Panthers.
With Nico Collins out, Christian Kirk should be the primary downfield threat for CJ Stroud and Kirk blew up in the WC win in Pittsburgh with 144 yards on nine targets and that was with Collins playing a chunk of that game before leaving with a concussion. Our model has Kirk at 45 yards -- he had a 46-yard catch vs. the Steelers. The Pats may not have Pro Bowl corner Christian Gonzalez.
Last 45.5 on our board. The weather looks pretty good if chilly in Seattle. Neither regular-season game came close to reaching this total, and I sure don't trust Sam Darnold to be very good in a playoff game. Seattle has the NFL's No. 1 scoring defense and is rested. The Niners are sans George Kittle, hurt in the upset in Philly last weekend. Brock Purdy is 2-3 vs. Mike Macdonald-coached teams (even when he was a DC in Baltimore) and averaging only 18.4 PPG in those. In his past five against the NFL's top-three scoring defenses including playoffs, Purdy's teams are averaging only 15.6 PPG.
Second game in six days for the Bills and second in 23 days for the Broncos. Buffalo got pretty battered in that Jacksonville loss with safety Jordan Poyer and WR Gabe Davis already ruled out for this one. Denver is only the second No. 1 seed ever to be an underdog in the Divisional Round. The first one was victorious (Eagles). Buffalo's No. 1 rush offense was largely held in check by the Jaguars. The Broncos ranked No. 2 vs. the run.
Last 46 on our board so I'll grab it. Weather shouldn't be a huge factor but it's still a warm-weather, indoor club playing outside in January. And Jim Harbaugh no doubt will want to run, run, run and win with ball control and defense. Keep Drake Maye off the field. Maye could have some butterflies in his first postseason start as well. The Chargers haven't allowed more than 20 points in a game since Week 11.
What an incredible Ravens-Steelers finale holy cow. Guess we have to deal with Aaron Rodgers one more week at least. I want to grab the hook on this Saturday game while it's there because I think this is too high even if the Panthers might be one of the worst playoff teams in modern history. Short week for L.A. and it lost in Charlotte, 31-28, in Week 13. Kinda doubt the Rams lose again but certainly believe the Cats can hang within 10.
This is largely a "I'm gonna watch it so may as well have a rooting interest" play because I couldn't care less about either team and can't say I feel mega-strongly. Well, I'd love the Ravens to send Aaron Rodgers into an ayahuasca-based retirement (please go away, but I am sure some network would try to hire him), so the best scenario I suppose would be a Baltimore 3-point win. The Steelers do get TJ Watt back, and the Ravens apparently have a bit of a bug going around -- that's happening all over the sporting place now. Lamar Jackson rarely plays well in Pittsburgh. An obviously unlikely tie works just as well for the Steelers in terms of winning the division.
I recently posted on CBS Sports and our Discord Channel the Week 18 incentives, and Tony Pollard is probably my No. 1 guy. He needs 66 yards rushing to get a $250K bonus and has rushed for at least 85 in four straight. I fully expect him to get to 67 and then get pulled, but hey we gotta try it. He also has another $250K coming for two TDs but can't say I love that.




